Mmm…fromage. I love cheese in any form, so I was sure I would love this Chocoat Fromage Pocky.

I actually didn’t. =/ It also had a splash of “orange Curaçao” liqueur in it, and that’s the flavor that really dominated the Pocky. I couldn’t taste any of this alleged “fromage.” I’m not really a huge fan of chocolate and orange, so this was a bit of a bust for me.

My first encounter with Le Pain Quotidien was in Bryant Park, New York, a couple years ago. I loved it! Even the pesto sauce in my sandwich, which was unusual for me, since I had an inexplicable aversion to pesto. I was pretty excited when the chain finally made its way to the D.C. area, and I believe the first of their local branches was the Bethesda store. I’ve popped over there several times since it opened, but this would be my first time blogging them. (^__^)v This post combines a couple visits that I made there in the last few weeks.

The decor: I like the interior quite a bit. There are high ceilings throughout and a shiny counter filled with delicious looking pastries in the front. And of course, there has to be the signature communal table, a colossal slab of reclaimed wood that dominates the center of the room. The Bethesda store has two dining areas, each one with its own communal table. I like sitting at the communal table, as it’s more spacious and comfortable.

And now for the food: Pictured above is the grilled chicken and smoked mozzarella tartine “with arugula and basil pesto.” I’m not sure that I got any arugula, and I would know because I love arugula. There was definitely some kind of green leaf, but it might have been something else. Very tasty indeed, even the pesto. XD Although, I do feel like it’s a bit pricey for what you get.

Spotted this new “limited edition” Häagen-Dazs Amaretto Almond Crunch at the grocery store and I had to snap it up! Almond liqueur has a sweet and distinct flavor that I absolutely adore, so I was very excited to try it as an ice cream flavor.

They added almond brittle in this Häagen-Dazs version, which I actually enjoyed. I usually prefer ice cream without much thrown into it, which is why Ben & Jerry’s usually is not my thing. (Too much to chew on…it makes my teeth hurt). But the brittle wasn’t so overwhelming here, and the caramel and almonds added a nice layer of sweetness. In short, I loved it! ♥

After dinner at Cork, my friend and I headed a few blocks down to ACKC (Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections) to get (what else) chocolates! Part of their shop is a chocolate counter with an ever changing selection of various truffles. They’re $2 a piece, and of course, you can mix and match, which is all part of the fun. (The other half of the shop is a cafe, and they serve up some very rich and interesting hot chocolates!)

I got a box of six tuffles, and they were (clockwise from the bottom left) fleur de sel, honey ginger, amaretto marzipan, pomegranate, champagne, and white peach. I still haven’t tried the first two yet, believe it or not, but the rest were very tasty indeed. ♥ I expected a little more of that almondy flavor in the marzipan, and the pomegranate was just kind of tart and not really particular to pomegranate. I did think the chocolate was nice and smooth though, and not too sweet. The white peach was interesting, as it had a jelly-like center. (^__^)v

Aaah…Häagen-Dazs. Their ginger ice cream was my first ever blog post here. (^__^)v Last weekend, I discovered a new flavor from their “five” series…lemon. I was so excited to try this! I had seen lemon gelato or sorbet before, but never an ice cream.

This was heavenly! It was rich and creamy, as you can expect from their fabulous “five” series, and there was just the right amount of tartness from the lemon. It tasted a bit like a lemon curd dessert. The little bits of lemon peel added some nice texture. I hope this will be a permanent addition to their flavors!